query: clicks used "paralinguistically"

[Kenneth Allen Hyde]

On Sun, 22 Apr 2001, David Gil wrote:

> In English, there is a sound, written either "tsk-tsk" or "tut-tut",
> which is a dental click, symbolized as "|".  Its use is as an
> exclamation, expressing disapproval, impatience, mockery, or, more
> generally, what might be characterized as "negative affect".

I don't know about dental. I know that I use a repeated laminal alveolar
click to indicate disappointment or disapproval.  I use an repeated (three
or four repetitions, usually) apical alveo-palatal click to indicate that
I'm thinking about something.

Of course, I'm a native speaker of American English (albeit a very
peculiar dialect), as Peter or Gaby can probably attest. =)

Ken

Kenneth Allen Hyde     |  No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife
Univ. of Delaware      |  between the shoulder blades will seriously
Dept. of Linguistics   |  cramp his style  -- Old Jhereg proverb
kenny at Udel.Edu         |  A mind is a terrible toy to waste! -- Me

//www.ling.udel.edu/hyde/prof/